Safety device for the cages of lifts and hoists.



A. G. HULING.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR THE GAGES 0F LIFTS AND HOISTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1911.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN VE N TOR WITNESSES w m a. a W W 7 fl m ATTORNEYS A. G. HULING.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR THE GAGES 0F LIFTS AND HOISTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1911.

1,055, 179. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVEIITOR -//r//a ar 6? /u/z'n 9 87 /7 JJ/TMw/[Whi irionufrs ARTHUR GARDNER HULING,

OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR THE CAGES OF LIFTS AND HOIS'IS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Mar. 4,1913.

Application filed August 17, 1911. Serial No. 644,490.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, An'rnvn G. House, a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of La Salle, in the county of Lasalle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Safety Device for the (ages of Lifts and Hoists, of which the following a full, clear, and exact description.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, and automatically operating safety device which will check the descent of a cage of an elevator or hoist in the event of the accidental breaking of the hoisting rope or cable, and to so construct the dcvice that at. the instant of the breaking of the hoisting rope or cable, the weight of the cage or car acts to throw into operation the frictional safety device.

A further object of the invention is to provide means under the control of the operator whereby, at will, the descent of the cage may be checked in the event of attainin too great a speed for safety.

h Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings constituting a part 0 this specification, 111 which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a lift or hoist embodying the invention; Fig. 2 shows a top plan view, parts being in section, of the automatic safety device; and Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the apparatus just. after the breaking of the hoist- 111g rope, and illust 'ating the mode of operation.

A represents a cage or car which may be of any usual or preferred construction, and which is arranged to move vertically between suitable guide rails B, all in the usual manner. The cage or car A is connected by means of chains (7 to a ring 0 which is connected to the hoisting rope D. There are preferably four chains one connected to each corner of the top of the cage and all of which are connected to the ring 0. In thenormal operation of the apparatus, the rope or cable D and the chains (3 support the cage or car A, and raise and lower the same by power from any suitable source acting upon the rope or cable D.

The improved safety device comprises across head E which is preferably constructed of side bars e, and held together by the transverse bolts (2', and the spacmg sleeves c (see Fig. 2 of the drawings). The cross head E is somewhat shorter than the distance between the guide rails B, and at each end it is provided with the frames F, bolted or riveted to the side bars 6 as shown at, f, the frames F having the forwardly extending arms f which engage the opposite faces of the guide rails It and ussist in guiding the cross head E and its various instrumentalities as it is moved up and down with the cage or car A. Mounted upon the bolts c at opposite ends of the cross head E are the levers H which are arranged in pairs as shown, and which at their upper ends are connected by bolts h and at their lower ends support bolts h, upon which are mounted the friction shoes or blocks K, arranged in close proximity to thc inner "faces of the guide rails B, but normally held out of contact therewith. In the event of the breaking of the cable or rope D, it is intended that a pull shall be applied to the inner ends of the lovers H, and thus force the friction blocks K in close contact with the inner faces of the guide rails It. and for this purpose the cage A levers ll by means of chains 0; cables M, there being preferably tour of such cables.

two connected to each side of the top frame of the cage or car as shown atm, and. at their upper ends by rings 111- mounted upon the bolts It. The chains or cables M are of such length as to normally permit the lifting of the inner ends of the levers H, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so asto hold the friction blocks K out. of-contact. with the guide rails B during the normal running of the age or car. The inner ends of the lovers ll are lifted and held lifted by means oflight chains N which are connectcd at their lower ends to the bolts 11, and at their upper ends to the ring 1: through an intermediate connection to be described.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that the cross head E and the safety device mounted thereon constitute a separate and distinct carriage from that of the cage or car, and that it is under the normal operation of the elevating means held and moved up or down with the cage or car at substantially a uniform distance above the top of the cage or car at all times, and that during such normal operation, the

is connected to the inner ends of tht cidentally erat-ion of the car levers H are .held elevated at their inner and stopping the descent of the cage or inner ends of the levers H are held up with the friction-shoes or blocks K out of contact with the inner faces of the guide rails B. It will be further understood that the ends by means of the chains N connected to the ring (1. Assuming that the cable D acbreaks, the supporting chains (1 at once drop by gravity as Will also the chains N, and the entire weight. of the cage or car is transferred to the chains M, which are connected to the inner or upper ends of the levers H, and thus the weight of the car pulling upon the levers II, rock the said levers about their fulcrums, instantly forcing the friction blocks or shoes K into direct frictional engagement with the inner faces of the guide rails B, thus checking car A. The springs O in the normal op- Will be distended as shown in Fig. 1, and during thenormal operation, act to maintainthefriction blocks K in an upright position with their faces parallel to the faces of the guide rails B. As soon, however, as the cable breaks, the springs act to pull up upon the blocks K and the ends of the levers H to cause an initial contact orfrictional engagement of the blocks with the rails B, after which the weight of the car through the chains M, will cause a forcible and positive frictional contact of the blocks K with the rails B.

' In order to prevent the safety device from dropping too close to the top of the cage or car. there are provided the stops IV projecting suflicicntly above the top to form rests or supports for the frames F.

it may at times be desired that the operator shall be able to check the descent of the cageor car, in case, by reason of over loading, it should be descending too fast for safety, and to this end, there is provided I means whereby the crosshead E and its conn'ccted safety devices may be raised relatively to the top of the cage or car, and thus, by raising the fulcrums f of the levers I-I, cause the friction shoes or blocks K to engage the guide rails B. To this end, there is provided a cord or rope P. which at oneend is connected to a metallicbracket 7) attached to the top of the crosshead E, and this rope or cord 1 passes through an eye of a ring 1 the other end of the cord 1 leading to the age or car A, and provided with a ring or handle in convenient reach of the op erator. A pull upon the handle p Will cause the corresponding elevation of the crosshead, E, and thusthe levers H Will be rocked," bringing the friction shoes -K into engage- I ment With the guide rails B.

It may be desirable at times to use U shaped shoes or friction blocks which Will embrace thesides of the guides B instead of the faces of the same, This is intended to" prevent severe outward pressure from spreading the guides hoist be very. heavy.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1.. In combination, a cage or car of an elevator, a cross head located above but inde-' pendent of said cage or car, arms at the end of the cross-head, a lever mounted on said cross-head and carrying a friction dog, a hoisting rope, means for connecting the cage or car to the hoisting rope, means for independci'it'ly connecting the cage or car to the lever of the friction dog, means connected to the lever and the hoisting rope to normally hold said friction dog inactive and a spring" connecting the friction dogwith one of said arms.

2. In combination, a cage or car for eleva'tors, a cross head supported above but independent of said cage or car, a lever pivot- B, should the cage or ally mounted at each end of the cross head,

a friction dog carried by each of said levers, a frame at each end of the cross head and provided with upper and lower arms for engaging the guide rails, a hoisting rope, means for connecting the cage or car to the hoisting rope, independent means for connecting the cage or car to the inner ends of the levers, means for normally holding the levers out of operation, and springs connecting the upper ends of the friction dogs with the upper arms of said frames.

3. In combination, a cage or car for elevators, a cross head supported above but independent of said cage or car, a lever pivotally mounted at each end of the cross head, a friction dog carried by each of said levers,

-a hoisting rope, means for connecting the cage or car to the hoisting rope, independent means for connecting the cage or car to the inner ends of the levers, means for normally holding the said levers out of operation, and means under the control of the operator for raising the cross head with relation to the cage or car, to operate the friction dogs and cause them to engage the guide rails.

4. In combination, a cage or car for elevators, a cross-head located above but independent of the cage or car, the cross head being provided With members for engaging the guide rails, safety braking devices mounted upon said cross head, a hoistingrope, means for connecting the cage or car to the hoist-mg rope, means fqrvconnecting the cage or car to the safetv braking devices of the cross head, means for connecting the safety braking devices to the hoisting rope, and tension devices connecting the braking devices with members of'the cross head to move the braking devices into initial braking position,-

, e 5. 'In combination, a cage-or car for elevators, a cross head locateclabove'but independent of the cage or car, :nlever pivotally mounted on said cross head and carrying a friction dog, a hoisting rope, means for connecting the cage or car to the hoisting rope 5 means for independently connecting the cage or car to the said lever, means for normally holding the lever and friction clog in inactive ponitiongispring connected at one end with the friction dog, and a connection lat-ween I the other end of the spring and the C'I'OS head, the said spring maintaining the triction (log in an upright position, and adapted when the hoir--ting rope breaks to move the lever and the frietion dog into active position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 112N110 to this specification in the presence of 'two subscribing Witnesses.

ARTHUR GARDNER HULING.

Wit nesscs W. H. Fmsicn,

Annnmnrr (ii. LEE. 

